Review: Bardstown Bourbon Co. Distillery Reserve Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish

Bardstown Bourbon Co.’s Distillery Reserve Series knocked it out of the park last year with a trio of exceptional whiskeys as delicious as they were distinctive. The inaugural release, Cathedral French Oak, made our Top 20 Whiskeys of 2025 list, but they were honestly all in the running. And they’re not resting on their laurels in 2026. In March BBCo. unveiled Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish, the first entrant this year in the Distillery Reserve Series and perhaps the most unique addition yet. Garryana oak is a rare oak from the Pacific northwest, popularized by craft single malt maker Westland, whose dense grain makes it closer to French oak than traditional American white oak. The recipe for this one was pretty elaborate, so I’ll let the good folks at Bardstown provide the details.

Distillery Reserve Cascadia begins with a blend of three exceptional bourbons – aged nine and 10 years – each featuring a different mashbill of corn, rye and malted barley. After the whiskey was blended, it was then rested for 10 months in 10 custom Garryana oak barrels handmade by Oregon Barrel Works, a micro-cooperage producing just 1,000 barrels per year. Unique to this release, these barrels feature a three-hour toast to unlock additional layers of spice and complexity found deep inside the red layer. They were then aged on the 6th floor of the warehouse in Bardstown over the course of the summer for maximum extraction. After aging, the liquid was gradually proofed over time for the blend to fully integrate in advance of bottling.

Let’s see if BBCo can keep their winning streak alive.

Bardstown Bourbon Co. Distillery Reserve Cascadia Garryana Oak Barrel Finish Review

The nose is sweet and decidedly barrel-driven, delivering notes of Saigon cinnamon, toffee, burnt sugar, and a bit of clove. Undertones of cherry pie and grilled peaches add a well-baked, heavily caramelized sweetness. As things open, the finishing barrel shows even more with Belgian cocoa and roasted coffee bean notes alongside new shoe leather, toasted almonds, crunchy Ginger Snap cookies, and dark molasses. It’s a complex and dense bouquet the evolves constantly in the glass.

The palate begins with brighter butterscotch and caramel but builds with warmth and dark spice into a brooding, burly midpalate of black cherry, well-roasted campfire S’mores, cigar wrapper, and dry, seasoned oak. There’s a veritable spice cabinet on display with layers of grated nutmeg, whole cloves, cinnamon stick, star anise, and vanilla bean, all accentuated with a gentle, simmering white pepper warmth. It makes for a piquant experience as ample grippy oak tannins and spice muscle in on the softer caramelized sugar and fruit. On the finish, things finally unwind a bit, eroding into warm, lingering notes of candied ginger, baking chocolate, roasted nuts, and black cherry.

It’s another winner from Bardstown Bourbon Co., but I’ve enjoyed earlier Distillery Reserve releases just a little more. The deft construction and careful finishing are once again on full display, and fans of toasted and double barreled bourbons should definitely seek this one out. It rivals some of the better out there.

107.5 proof.

A- / $100 (375ml) [BUY IT NOW FROM FROOTBAT]

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